I've seen this story making the rounds in the last few months, but this is the first English subtitled interview I've come across.
25 years ago Naoko Nishimoto was watching Initial D with her grandson and was so captivated by the FD that she bought one. Then she dominated the touge - that didn't happen.
She did a few road trips and for the last few years it's been her shopping car. Now that she's given up driving Mazda bought it from her and it's going into their collection.
I thought this would be about an RX3/4/cosmo or something. Completely different in a good way!
I wonder what Mazda gave her to get the car back, enough that she got to enjoy it all these years and turn a profit?
That is the biggest FD I have ever seen.
A few thoughts.
We had to beg my grandma to turn stop driving at 95, this lady is turning hers in voluntarily at 80!
I don't totally get what she's going to do to get around and why she's turning it in. (I didn't watch til the very end tho)
I hope Mazda is giving her a lot of scratch for it, that thing is sweet! Love those wheels and how it's not slammed.
How cool is this lady that she sees it on Initial D and goes, I've gotta have it. Unreal.
And I can't imagine driving a car 10 years, let alone 25. My automotive ADD is too strong.
Maybe Mazda will build another RX after seeing how many people dig this.
Thanks for posting.
In reply to CyberEric :
Re: getting around
There's a pretty strong tradition in Japan that parents live with the oldest son, or possibly the youngest daughter if there is no son.
Because they're with their extended family, they can get a ride from them if they need it. Although, also, it's a lot easier to walk in Japan than the US. Our family's friend's Grandmother used to walk more than a kilometer with a walker to go shopping in her 90's when she was alive. I think she did that in part to keep her physical fitness.. as well as 'helping out the family' iirc.
I dunno, but I wouldn't be surprised if the test to keep your license got harder at 80; or possibly insurance for 80+ drivers going up steeply; or just "cultural expectation"/pressure that at that age you stop driving (again, because you've got family readily available to help you).
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